Chicken Noodle Soup
There are some recipes that feel less like cooking and more like pressing pause for a little while. This is one of them.
A big pot of chicken noodle soup simmering away on the stove, filling the kitchen with that unmistakable smell of something warm and comforting. It’s not complicated, and that’s exactly why I love it. A whole chicken, a few vegetables, some garlic, herbs, and a little time are really all you need.
This is the kind of soup I make when I want something that feels grounding. When the days feel a little too busy, when there’s too much to figure out, or when I simply want dinner to feel like a hug. You let everything simmer away slowly, strain the broth, pull apart the chicken, and bring it all back together into the coziest bowl.
And honestly, whatever else is going on can wait. The emails can wait, the to-do list can wait, figuring life out can wait. For now, there’s just a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup, a little fresh parsley, and nowhere else you need to be.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken skin removed
- 4 large carrots cut into large pieces
- 4 large celery stalks cut into large pieces
- 2 large yellow onions cut into large pieces
- 2 heads garlic cut in half crosswise, skin on
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- Water enough to just cover the chicken
- Salt to taste
- Egg noodles for serving
- Fresh parsley for topping
Instructions
- Add the whole chicken to your largest pot. Remove the skin by making a small slit and pulling it away from the chicken.
- Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and fresh parsley.
- Fill the pot with water until the chicken is just submerged. Don't add too much water, you want a rich, flavourful broth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for about 2 hours, skimming the top if needed, until the chicken falls off the bones.
- Remove the chicken and strain the broth into another large pot (don't get rid of this!!). Pick through the solids, discarding the bones and bay leaves while keeping the chicken and vegetables.
- Return the chicken and vegetables to the broth and season generously with salt to taste.
- Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles separately according to the package directions. Drain.
- Add the noodles to the bottom of each bowl, then ladle the hot soup over top. This keeps the noodles from soaking up all the broth and becoming overly soft.
- Finish with plenty of fresh parsley.
